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View Full Version : D&D 5e/Next Some favorite 3.5 races for an upcoming campaign PEACH



Ixidor92
2018-09-22, 12:03 AM
-Maenad: A people that hold within them a great emotional turmoil. They practice restraint and social discipline to keep this power held back every day.

-Skarn: Descendants of the mishtai that seek "perfection of form." Eventually, if all Skarn achieve the peak of mind, body, and soul, then they will ascend to godhood--or so they believe. Blame the Rilkan for ruining the Misthai's original pursuit of perfection.

-Rilkan: Descendants of the mishtai that value freedom above all else. View the Skarn's "perfection of form" as a foolish notion.


Maenad: The Maenads are a people of contradictions. They are reserved and quiet in most social settings, preferring to use a word for a sentence, or a gesture for a word. And yet in times of action they show more passion and fury than the greatest of orc chieftains. Always calm, and yet always ready to rage. This dual nature comes from a great emotional turmoil within every Maenad. From a young age, every Maenad is taught a regiment of discipline and calming exercises to keep their rage and passion at bay. Only in times of dire stress do they release this power.
Appearance: Maenads appear almost human. However, their skin is flecked with what look to be shards of crystal, and glitter slightly in direct sunlight. Their hair colors also tend toward the brighter reds and blondes of human hair colors.
Ability Score Increase: Your wisdom increases by 2, and your charisma increases by 1.
Alignment: Maenads tend towards neutral alignments, as a result of avoiding harsh emotional attachments.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 30 feet
Languages: You are proficient in common
Turbulent Psyche: You have advantage on saving throws against charm and compulsion effects. In addition, anyone who attempts to connect to your mind via any ability must immediately make a wisdom saving throw against your spell save DC (using charisma as the spell modifier). On a failed save the ability fails, and the originator takes 3d10 psychic damage. The target still takes 1d10 psychic damage on a successful save, though the ability succeeds. You cannot suppress this ability, and it affects anyone who would try to connect with your mind. This includes spells such as Telepathic Link or Read thoughts, as well as monster abilities such as a Flumpf's empathy or even a Mind Flayer attempting to devour a your brain.
Outburst: As an action, you may cast Thunderwave as the spell. Instead of the usual components though, this cast only requires a verbal component, in the form of a devastating, primal shout. Once you have cast thunderwave using this ability, you must finish a long rest before you can do so again.
Emotional Surge: In times of desperation, a Maenad can choose to embrace their racial turmoil for a short time. Whenever you perform an attack roll or any NON-INT ability check, you may do so as an emotional surge. You add 1d4+cha to the roll. If it is an attack, this bonus is also applied to damage. Once you have performed an emotional surge, you cannot do so again until finishing a short rest.



Skarn are the children of the mishtai, a people that tried, and ultimately failed, to achieve godhood. Skarn society still pursues their quest of "Perfection of War." By perfecting the body in combat, the mind in trials, and the spirit in order, then eventually Skarn may be able to succeed where their ancestors failed. To this end, many skarn prefer hybrid classes that utilize both their minds as well as bodies, such as eldritch knight and monk.
Appearance: Skarn of both sexes are slightly taller and heavier than their human counterparts. However, their most striking feature are reptilian spines located at various points: along the back of both foreams, down the spinal column, and their calves. The spine ridges are usually laid flush against the skin, appearing as little more than a line of scales. They are fearsome when expanded for combat or displays of aggression.
Alignment: Skarn are almost always lawful. Their society and way of life demand a strict adherence to training, schedule, and hierarchy. All Skarn are acutely aware of social structures, often ensuring that they refer to individuals by their correct title. On the spectrum of good and evil, Skarn fall widely.
Speed:Your Base walking speed is 30 feet
Ability Score increase: Your Strength score increases by 2, and your intelligence score increases by 1.
Imposing figure: You gain proficiency in the intimidate skill
Languages: You are proficient in common
Practice makes perfect: You gain proficiency and expertise (as the rogue ability) in one artisan's tool of your choice
Spines: You have spines, which can be used to make melee attacks, and are treated as a melee weapon for the purposes of doing so. You are proficient with the attack, and a successful strike deals 1d6+str slashing damage. If you make an attack action with a melee weapon and have one hand free, you may make a spine attack as a bonus action. If you take levels in monk, these spines are considered monk weapons.
Pursue Perfection: When you make an attack roll or ability check, you may choose to do so perfectly. You have advantage on the roll. If it is an attack roll, a successful strike deals 2d6 extra damage. If it is an ability check, some additional effect occurs as a result of success. A successful athletics check over an obstacle may make it easier for others to pass through, a knowledge check may reveal additional information, and a social check may inspire loyalty beyond that interaction. Once this ability has been used, it cannot be used again until you have finished a short rest.



Rilkan are an offshoot of the Mishtai, like the Skarn. Unlike the Skarn, they believe in experiencing everything life has to offer, speaking to other peoples, wandering other lands, and drinking deep from the cup of life. Rilkans are a social folk, and naturally fall into the roles of bards or merchants.
Appearance: Rilkan for the most part appear to be very attractive and slender humans. However, their forearms and necks are layered with thin, reptilian scales. These scales are mono-colored in men, and multi-colored patterns in women. Many Rilkan dress in outfits to accentuate their scales.
Alignment: Rilkan are almost all chaotic, bouncing around life where the wind and their whims take them. Their reasons for doing so are as varied as the sun however, and range whole spectrum of good to evil.
Ability Score increase: Your dexterity increases by 1, and your charisma increases by 2.
Speed: Your base movement speed is 30 feet
Silver-tongued: You gain proficiency in the persuasion skill
Languages: You are proficient in common, and one additional language of your choice.
Racial knowledge: All rilkan can tap into a shared network of knowledge, the cumulative experiences of their entire race, for a short time. For one minute, you become proficient in one of the following skills: Arcana, History, religion, or Nature. If you are already proficient in the chosen skill, then you double your proficiency bonus in that skill for one minute. This effect does not stack with other abilities that double your proficiency bonus (such as expertise). Once this ability has been used, you must finish a short rest before you can use it again.
Unfettered Soul: Rilkan hate being caged by any situation. If you fail a saving throw or are hit with an attack that leaves you restrained, grappled, charmed, paralyzed, or otherwise unable to control your movements, then you have advantage on the next ability check made to remove that condition. If that check fails, all future checks are made normally (not at advantage).


Any feedback/constructive criticism would be appreciated on these races. The main thing I'm concerned about is possibly having made certain single abilities too powerful, at the expense of leaving a race feel underwhelming when not using that one ability.